CHARLOTTE, N.C. — We’ve all been there — you're enjoying a hot, sunny afternoon when the skies suddenly darken, thunder rumbles, and a quick but intense downpour appears out of nowhere. Then, just as fast as it started, the storm disappears.

So what causes these pop-up thunderstorms to form so quickly, and why are they so common in the Carolinas?

It starts with differential heating

One of the main ingredients behind pop-up thunderstorms is something called differential heating.

This means that the Earth’s surface heats unevenly. Surfaces like roads, rooftops, and parking lots absorb heat quickly and become much hotter than areas like shaded grass or lakes, which warm more slowly.

For example, while a sun-soaked parking lot may reach 110 degrees, a nearby shaded lawn might only hit 90

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